The present disclosure relates to a storage element and a storage device (memory) including a storage element.
In information apparatus such as a computer, the DRAM, which operates at high speed and has high density, is widely used as a random access memory.
However, the DRAM is a volatile memory, in which information is lost when the power supply is turned off, and therefore a non-volatile memory free from the information loss is desired.
As a candidate for the non-volatile memory, the magnetic random access memory (MRAM) to record information based on the magnetization of a magnetic material is attracting attention and development thereof is being advanced.
Methods for performing recording in the MRAM include a method of reversing magnetization by a current magnetic field and a method of injecting spin-polarized electrons directly into a recording layer to thereby cause magnetization reversal (refer to e.g. Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2004-193595).
Among these methods, spin injection magnetization reversal, which allows the recording current to be decreased as the size of the element becomes smaller, is attracting attention.
Furthermore, studies have been made on a method of using a perpendicular magnetization film, in which the magnetization direction of a magnetic material is oriented to the perpendicular direction, in order to microminiaturize the element (refer to e.g. Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2009-81215).
Moreover, a non-patent document discloses an expression of the reversal time of a spin injection magnetization reversal element using a perpendicular magnetization film (refer to R. H. Koch et al, Phys. Rev. Lett. 92, 088302 (2004)).